Piet Gros studies the molecular mechanisms of recognition and regulation that underlie biological processes. His major expertise is in the area of protein crystallography methodology and its application to large human plasma proteins and cell-surface receptors and membrane proteins.

Regulation in cells and organisms is achieved by the interplay of proteins acting in concert to achieve a control over time and space. In many cases, the proteins involved are multi-domain proteins that function in large complexes. This enables a collective set of proteins to form a protein machinery that carries out elementary regulatory functions such as initiation, amplification, localization and inhibition. His research goal is to reveal the mechanisms of tertiary and quaternary-structure induced activation in multi-domain proteins and multi-protein complexes that underlie the recognition and regulation processes.

Key research results include structural studies of (i) complement proteins and complexes, which have revealed the molecular mechanisms that underlie key steps in the human immune defense by the complement system, (ii) adhesion of von Willebrand factor (A1 domain) to its platelet receptor GpIb and (iii) several bacterial outer-membrane proteins involved in pathogenicity. Piet Gros collaborates with national and international biomedical and biological research groups in these areas. The projects provide a structural basis for host-pathogen interactions and for understanding molecular disorders in diseases, which is crucial for structure-based approaches to develop novel drugs and vaccines.

Piet Gros is extremely grateful for the many excellent contributions of the PhD students, post-doctoral fellows and technicians in his lab.

My research group uses protein crystallography to study bio-molecular recognition and regulation processes with emphasis on bio-medically important proteins, in particular in the area of infection and immunity. Regulation in cells and organisms is achieved by the interplay of proteins acting in concert to achieve a control over time and space. In many cases, the proteins involved are multi-domain proteins that function in large complexes. This enables a collective set of proteins to form a protein machinery that carries out elementary regulatory functions such as initiation, amplification, localization and inhibition. Our goal is to reveal the mechanisms of tertiary and quaternary-induced activation in multi-domain proteins and multi-protein complexes that underlie these recognition and regulation processes.

Over the last few years we have mainly focused on infection and immunity, in particular (1) the immune response by the complement system and complement-evasion mechanisms of pathogens and (2) outer-membrane proteins of pathogenic bacteria. We collaborate with national and international biomedical and biological research groups in these areas. The projects provide a structural basis for host-pathogen interactions and for understanding molecular disorders in diseases, which is crucial for structure-based approaches to develop novel drugs and vaccines.

In addition, we remain to have a keen interest in crystallographic methodology with respect to the phase problem and structure refinement.

The project information listed below is reproduced from an internal university database.

Project:

Institute for Chemical Immunology01-01-2014tot31-12-2023

Algemene projectbeschrijving

The Institute for Chemical Immunlogy is an NWO Gravitation project coordinator by Leiden University. It will define and exploit a new field termed chemical immunology and train a novel generation of interdisciplinary scientists. It aims to promote academic excellence; with economic and clinical translation of new treatment options for a large population of patients that currently only have limited treatment options.

Afgesloten projecten

Project:

ManiFold01-09-2012tot31-08-2016

Algemene projectbeschrijving

ManiFoldis an Innovative Doctoral Programme organised by members of the Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and its Graduate Research School, at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. The European Union selected the most innovative doctoral programmes in Europe for funding in the prestigious Marie-Curie Initial Training Networks scheme. ManiFold was the only Innovative Doctoral Programme in the Life Sciences funded in 2012.